Silencing and trans-activation of the mouse IL-2 gene in Xenopus oocytes by proteins from resting and mitogen-induced primary T-lymphocytes
Mouzaki, A.; Weil, R.; Muster, L.; Rungger, D.
EMBO Journal 10(6): 1399-1406
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0261-4189 PMID: 2026141 Document Number: 378899
The Xenopus oocyte system was used to test functionally, putative trans-active elements involved in the transcriptional control of the mouse interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene in resting and mitogen-induced primary T-lymphocytes. The IL-2 gene injected into the oocyte is active over a wide range of DNA concentrations. This basal activity is silenced by the addition of protein extracts from G0-arrested spleen cells. Extracts from 8 h-stimulated spleen cells do not silence but moderately increase transcription over basal level. When IL-2 transcription is silenced first by an injection of extract from resting spleen cells, the addition of proteins from stimulated cells results in a strong increase in transcription (derepression). Use of proteins from purified splenic T-lymphocytes shows that both silencer(s) and activator(s) are contributed by these cells. Extracts from control tissues have neither a silencing nor stimulatory effect. None of the proteins tested affects the activities of co-injected control genes. Injections with IL-2 promoter mutants indicate that the main target sequence of the silencing and activating factors is a purine region (Pu-box) lying between positions -261 and -292 upstream of the IL-2 gene. Bandshift assays show differential binding of the Pu-box with proteins from resting or activated T-cells.